Fire-kindler



I FIRE KINDLER. I

No. 363,871. Patented May 315-1 87.

' avwantoz Nirnn STATES HENRY VVILCOX, OF MONTAGUE, MlOHIGAN.

FIRE'KINDLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No. 363,871, dated May 31, 1887.

Application filed August 14, 1886. Serial No. 210,934. (No model.)

' To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY WILcoX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Montague, in the county of Muskegon and State ofMichigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire Kindlers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in fire-kindlers; and it consists ofthe peculiar construction and arrangement of the various parts, substantially as hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims. v

The object of my invention is to providean improved fire-kindler which can be used with safety to rapidly kindle or ignite wood or coal, and which can be used for a large number of times without impairing its efficiency or destroying its usefulness in any way, and which shall possess superior advantages over all others that have preceded it in points of strength and simplicity of construction and cheapness of manufacture.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a fire-kindler embodying my invention, I

Figure 1 is a perspective view thereof. Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinal sectional view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the parts detached from each other.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denotecorresponding parts in all the figures, A designates the fire-kindler of my invention, which consists of the inclosing-plates B, a handle, 0, connected to the plates at one end, and an intermediate nondestructible fireproof packi g, D, all as more fully described.

The plates B are made of metal in a single piece, and oblong or of other desired form; andon their side edges they are provided with a series of protuberances or spurs, b, from which tongues of flames are projected When the device is used, so as to provide a multiplicity of separate tongues of flame, from which the fuel will more readily be ignited and thereby kindle the same much quicker. The plates are also provided with perforations b,through whichflames escape. These plates are placed one upon the other,with their projecting spurs or protuberances opposite to each other, and between the plates is interposed a packing, D, of asbestos, which will not be destroyed or atfected by the fire. This packing extends beyond the edges of the plates and the spurs thereof, and it is absorbent to take up a quantity of some inflammable substance-as, for instance, coal-oil. The plates are secured together by means-of a rivet or screw to clamp the packing in place, and the handle is secured to one end of the plates by passing the bent end thereof through aligned eyes in the plates. 1

The operation of my invention is as follows:-

- When it is desired to kindle a fire, the device is placed in coal-oil or other inflammable substance, so that the absorbent fire-proof packin g will absorb a considerable quantity thereof.

The device is now removed and a lighted match or other object appliedthereto to ignite the oil, when the device is placed beneath the wood or other fuel which it is designed to ig nite. A number of tongues of flame dart from the spurs of the plates and a large sheet of flame is emitted by the device to rapidly kindle a fire.

The device is not injured or affected by the fire, as all of the parts are fire-proof, and it can be used with entire safety. ltis very clean and simple, and strong of construction, and can be used a great number of times by inserting it 'in a vessel filled with inflammable oil or other substance, so that the fire-proof packing will absorb theoil, 8w.

I am aware that heretofore fire-kindlers have been constructed of a conoidal metallic perforated case, secured on a rod or handle, and I filled with a refractory absorbent holding in its pores an inflammable fluid; and also that fire-kindlers have heretofore been constructed of two semi-elliptical plates perforated or slotted and connected so as to form an elliptical shell, which shell is filled with asbestus or similar material. My device differs fromthese in employing flat plates having spurs along their edges. .These' plates clamp the asbestus much more firmly and securely than has been possible heretofore, and secures a better flame for the reason that the asbestus or otherfilling is compressed, the result of which is a tendency on the part of the oil or other fluid to flow toward the edges of the plates where it is ignited, as hereinbefore stated. The spurs pro- IOC vided along the edges of the plates divide the flame into a number of smaller tongues, as above mentioned, and my device is consequently more etficient than those devices in which the flame is fed by oil contained in a filling or within a perforated shell.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by 'Letters Patent, is

1. As a new article of manufacture, a firekindler consisting of the plates having protuberances at their edges, an intermediate absorbent packing projecting beyond the edges ofthe plates, and a handle secured to the plates, substantially as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a firekindler comprising two flat perforated plates having a series ofprotuberances or spurs along their edges, an intermediate absorbent packing projecting beyond the edges of the plates, and a handle secured to the plates, substantially as described.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a firekindler comprising the plates having the pro- 25 jecting spurs, an intermediate absorbent packing projecting beyond the edges of the plates, 2. rivet or fastening-pin inserted through the plates and the packing, and a handle secured to the plates, substantially as described.

4. The herein-described fire-kindler, comprising the flat plates having transverse openings at one end and a series of teeth or spurs, b, projecting outwardly from the several sides or edges thereof, a packing or filling of absorbent material, such as asbestus, located between the plates and extending to or beyond the edges of the plates, 9. rivet or rivets passing through the plates to clam p them together, and upon the packingor filling, and a handle having a hook or eye at one end that passes through the transverse aligned openingsin the plates, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY \NILOOX.

Witnesses:

L. N. KEATING, A. DIOKERMAN. 

